Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Of Health Workers Towards Handling Of Medical Waste In Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda.
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Date
2024-07-22
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Abstract
The study investigated the Knowledge, attitude, and practices of healthcare workers towards handling clinical waste in Mulago National Referral hospital. The specific objectives of the study were to find, attitudes and practices of healthcare workers towards handling clinical wastes in Mulago National Referral Hospital `and to identify attitudes of healthcare workers towards clinical in Mulago National Hospital.The study adopted a descriptive research design consisting of mainly quantitative approaches to make valid and insightful conclusions. The study was conducted in Mulago National Referral Hospital, with the target population that mainly comprised of nurses who nursed post-patients considering they have the required knowledge about the area of investigation. The study used both probability and non-probability sampling designs. Interviews were conducted with a sample size of 50 respondents purposively estimated using a self-administered structured questionnaire. The study findings revealed that study participants had ever heard about medical waste management, (60%) were aware of the medical waste management rules and regulations followed in Uganda, (70%) knew 48 hours as the maximum storage period for medical wastes, and (90%) knew segregation, collection and storage transportation, treatment, and disposal as the steps involved in the management of wastes, (50%) knew yellow color code for infectious and (70%) knew gloves as the personal protective equipment used during medical waste management, (94%) of respondents agreed that it is necessary to follow wastes management rules and regulations all the time, (and 52%) were willing to report safety violations done by their fellow workmates regarding waste management and (62%) perceived segregation of hospital wastes to be time-consuming. (90%) of respondents were fully vaccinated for common pathogens. The study recommended that the Ministry of health should set the development and implementation of new updated national policies and guidelines should be considered regarding medical waste management.
Keywords: Medical Waste Management; Healthcare Workers; Clinical Waste Handling
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Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda.